The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-07
WHAT CONSTITUTES A LADY?
How the Abuse of the Term Originated
"Woman" Is the Proper Title. -

How the Abuse of the Term Originated
''Woman" Is the Proper Title. - 1
Philadelphia Record.
1t is quite possible that a cook, or chamber
maid, or laundress may be lady at heart It
is also possible that the mistress of the house
may be in no sense a lady. And this brings
to the query: What does the word lady signify"
To most of US. if we think about it, it means
human being OF the female sex, gifted with cult
ure, refinement and breeding. We understand
it in some way descriptive of the kind of
woman under consideration. 1t does not mean
the costume she wears. The number of dollars
to her credit has nothing to do with it, and it
certainly does not apply to every person who
wears pettcoat. But notwithstanding the
general conviction that lady" conveys peculiar
meaning, there has long been tendency,
among we'll bred people. to refer to every woman,
except the lowest working class. as lady.
The custom among domes.ics of clubbing the
entire part of female creation as ladies / have
sometimes attributed to our democratic form of
government The peasants of the old world
never dream Of being 'ladies" in their own
country. They come here whore their chance
is good as any ones day to ride in their
own coach and four; they find others no better
than they called ladies' the word has pleasant
sound in their untutored and unreasoning ears,
and they cling to it. as if by keeping tight grip
they woul- The sooner reach the coveted posi-
ton. This is a notion of my own, in which
may be mistaken At all events, the practice
prevails, particularly among the class have
mentioned and no amount OF reasoning will! be
likely TO uprOOt IT.
But why is there prejudice against the term
womar9 1t is good Anglo Saxon word, COM
prehensve and intelligent, and. as understand
it, carries reproach with it. No greater
praise can be paid to the human female than to
call her "womanly womap." 1t gives an I'M
preston of a combination Of virtues and graces
OF mind and heart that be conveyed by no
other words. IA fine woman" "a good woman"
"a plain woman" is quite sufficient
for ordinary usage The only time and season
when there seems to be any real demand for the
word lady is in describing woman of rare
complishments. elegant manners and high BIRTH
And after all, it seems to me that the terms gen.
tlewoman and lady synonymous. The one is
defined gentle end we'll bred. Does the other
mean moro or less9 It does not follow that
''well bred" means elegance OF manner The
most suave and polished exterior may be rotten
at the core, and unpretentious surface may
conceal the kindness and gentleness of nature
without which no man or woman can
deserve the appeation of gentleman or lady.
But in spite of the foregone conclusion that
woman is a proper and sensible title for all fe-
male humankind, there is tremendous preju-
dice against it, especially among workngwomen
of the intermediate class. The saleswomen in
stores among the greatest sticklers for their
rights in this matter Has anyone ever known
"saleswoman" to advertise for placer Every
paper. however, sets forth the wants Of more or
less ''salesladies." They may every of them
be ladies. Are they any the less womenl